


Old Friend and New Friends

by gingayellow



Category: Power Rangers in Space
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-13
Updated: 2014-08-13
Packaged: 2018-02-12 22:50:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 756
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2127426
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gingayellow/pseuds/gingayellow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>[AU] Karone helps Ecliptor adjust to life after the final battle. He does the same for her. [spoilers for the PRiS finale and pretty much all of PRLG]</p>
            </blockquote>





	Old Friend and New Friends

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Rivulet027](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rivulet027/gifts).



Almost no one noticed.

To be fair, they almost didn’t notice because they had just fended off the largest alien invasion Earth had ever seen. It was a victory tainted only by the sacrifice of a mentor and friend, but they could all take comfort in that they had survived, like Zordon had wanted, even Karone.

And it was Karone who turned first—out of instinct—when she heard someone say “Astronema.”

He was a tall man, with brown skin and curly hair, dressed in dark robes, and looked just as confused as the Rangers.

Karone took a deep breath, not wanting to hope, but not quite able to stop herself. “Ecliptor?”

He smiled, awkwardly. “Yes. Yes, I think so.”

Without missing a beat, she told her brother, “Wherever we’re going, he’s coming with us.”

“But Karone—”

“He’s coming with us.”

“Okay.”

—

And that was how Ecliptor became “the unofficial seventh Space Ranger,” as Cassie put it. It was meant to make him feel at home (which was currently a spaceship, when they weren’t staying at Ashley’s on Earth), but Karone suspected he still felt like an outsider because of his past. Which made sense—she still felt like an outsider because of her past. But she had a brother and now friends to ease her way. All Ecliptor had was her.

Which was why she hid the video tape behind her back as she entered the kitchen. “Good morning.”

“Good morning.” His eyes were fixed on the eggs he was scrambling—Carlos had boggled at the idea that a former General of Evil could cook, but seemed to accept it when Karone had explained who else was going to feed the human child. “Could you please tell Mrs—”

“She told you to call her Grandma.”

Ecliptor sighed heavily. “Could you please tell Grandma that breakfast is ready.”

“I will, in a bit. I wanna show you something.”

“This isn’t concerning Cassie’s band, is it?”

“No, but you really should be nicer when our friends include you in on things.” Apparently, Ecliptor had been resurrected as an old man in a 30-something man’s body. “This is something TJ recommended. It’s some old movie he loved as a kid.”

“I trust his tastes more than Cassie’s.” Ecliptor removed his apron. “Ah, Grandma’s new TV for the kitchen is plugged in.”

Silently grateful that Grandma was a tech fan, Karone popped in the video, fast forwarding through the advertisements.

“Ah, at long last, I, the evil alien Krankor, will rule the earth with my evilness!!!”

Karone had never turned off a TV that fast since she knew what they were.

“Um. You know Earthlings.” She laughed uneasily. “They’re a little scatterbrained—”

Ecliptor was laughing. For real.

“Okay, I gotta know what’s so funny.”

“I just…” He rubbed at his eyes. “It was a conversation when TJ and I were practicing baseball.”

“You. And TJ. Practice baseball.” Since when did Eclipto leave the house? Without telling her?

He nodded. “It was to substitute when his pitcher was sick at first, but after awhile we started doing it twice a week.” He started to serve breakfast. “And I think he could tell that I felt… not quite right with him, since he made a comment that I was, and I believe the words were, ‘a lot nicer than the alien invaders he’d seen on TV.’ So I asked for examples, and…”

“And Krankor.”

“Exactly.” He nudged Karone gently. “Now you need to tell Grandma that’s it’s time to eat.”

Karone couldn’t believe it, even as she went upstairs. She’d been so worried about Ecliptor bonding with the team, it’d never occurred to her that he could do it on his own. 

—  
“You haven’t told Andros.”

“I plan to when I’m on Mirinoi.” If Andros finds out before then, he would try to stop her, and that’s not an option—but it looked like Ecliptor would stop her first. “I have to do this.”

“Alone. And surrounded by monsters who think you’re Andronema.”

“They lost their Pink Ranger. And I… I can’t let anyone else get hurt.” 

“I understand.”

“No, I’m gonna do it no matter what you say… wait, what?”

“You have found a way to atone.” He smiled sadly. “I only hope I can as well, one day.”

Karone hugged him tight. “Just keep an eye on our friends. That’ll be more than enough atonement.”

When she left, she felt sad, but relieved. Her old friend would keep her new friends safe.

Because they were his friends now, too.


End file.
